Go Vertical
Help Miami Township Firefighters
Tom Porter and Jim Petry raise money for cancer research.
On November 9th, 2008 Tom Porter and Jim Petry will ascend 2,109 steps and 1,353 vertical feet to the famous Sears Tower Skydeck observatory for the best views in Chicago and the satisfaction of having climbed the tallest building in the western hemisphere, all in support of cancer research.
Go Vertical Chicago, in its seventh year, welcomes climbers of all
ages and athletic levels. In
past years, stair climbers as young as 6 years old and as old as 79
have made their way to the
Skydeck, and have traveled from as far away as New Zealand to
participate. Elite stair climbers
will compete for the top spot and try to break the record of 13:26
minutes set in 2005.
Some climb the Sears Tower for the pure challenge, some are cancer
survivors, and many climb
in memory of those lost to cancer or who are fighting the disease
today. Last year’s sold out
event raised more than $340,000 for young cancer scientists whose
innovative research is at risk
due to funding cuts at the national level.
About the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation:
The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation invests exclusively in
top young scientists,
recruiting the best new minds into cancer research and seeding their
bold ideas. The Foundation
offers an alternative to programs supported by the NIH and large
organizations, which typically
favor senior scientists with established track records.
Since its founding in 1946, the Foundation has invested over $200
million and funded more than
3,000 young scientists. Eleven scientists supported by the Foundation
have received the Nobel
Prize, and others are heads of cancer centers and leaders of renowned
research programs. The
Foundation currently is funding more than 120 scientists at leading
medical centers and research
institutions. This year, it will invest approximately $10 million in
outstanding young minds.
100% of all direct donations are used to support scientific research. www.damonrunyon.org
About Sears Tower
Sears Tower is the premier corporate office building in Chicago,
offering more than 3.8 million
square feet of office and retail space. Located in Chicago's West Loop
at 233 S. Wacker Drive,
the skyscraper is easily accessible by the commuter rail stations,
highways and all forms of public
transportation.
Standing 1,450 feet and 110 stories tall, Sears Tower is the
tallest building in North America and
an integral part of Chicago’s culture. Originally opened in
September 1973 as the corporate
headquarters for Sears, Roebuck and Co., the building is now a
multi-tenant office building, home
to more than 100 different companies, including prominent financial
services firms, law firms and
insurance companies.